The Forgotten Race: Book 2
by eragon fantell
Summary: With Berk all but behind him, Hiccup and toothless set forth to reaches unknown. along the way, secrets are revealed, and Hiccup must not only accept them, but also deal with the consequences that accompany them. Alliances will be forged with the most unlikely of sort, and Enemies will be made. This story is Rated T...BUT...there will be a chapter RATED M for Violence and Gore.
1. Wings of Destiny

**I need to start off by apologizing for the delayed Update. From the Pm's, I know how eager you all are for the second part. But like writers, I was subjected to several events that prolonged this story. **

**Second, I am currently engaged with another story from my other favorite novel, so i won't be updating this one as often.**

**Let me finish off by saying that I will also try to make this part longer. Going back and reading the first part, I am disappointed at how I seemed to rush through the character development with Hiccup and Toothless. There for, I will attempt my hardest to make this part more interesting. **

They had been flying for well over six hours, and the sun was nearing the Horizon yet again. Another four hours remain until night is upon them; however, both Hiccup and Toothless got a descent rest the night prior, so they could continue through the night.

Hiccup stretched his sore shoulder muscles, before lowering himself closer against Toothlesses back. Not only to cut down on her drag, but also rest his shoulders.

"You can rest if you want."

Toothless spoke loudly enough so Hiccup could hear her over the wind that whirled around them at this height.

Due to the length of time it will take to reach the outpost, but also for personal presences, Toothless is flying in what she called, Thin-air-Zone. A place in the sky, where the air is thinner, allowing for her to fly easier, with less effort.

Unfortunately, it is also freezing. Although, Hiccup isn't as effected as he was yesterday. Despite their altitude, and the knowledge that he should be colder than the ice bound lands north of Berk, he isn't.

On the contrary, it feels like he is on the ground, lying in the sun, on a bed of lush grass. He doesn't know how this came about, but that is something that he has grown used to.

Since finding out the truth, everything has been changing. Some things spring up on him, while others slowly manifest themselves.

His dreams for example, the reason why he was so troubled about it last night, was not because of what he remembered, well not entirely.

It was because he knows that these Ancestral memories are triggered by related events. The dream he had was filled with such passion, and love on both their parts, that it's confused him to the point of nearly falling unconscious, due to the effort it took to process the information.

In order to have that memory, he had to have felt something more towards Toothless, other wise he probably wouldn't have seen that one.

Hiccup gulped at the prospect of harboring romantic feeling towards Toothless. She's a dragon, and even though she told him that others of his race found mates with the Night Furies...He isn't one of them.

He wasn't raised with their views, or traditions, their ways of life, nor even knew they existed, until a few weeks ago.

Up until then, he had believed Dragon's where mindless animals, incapable of feeling anything besides anger, and wreaking chaos wherever they flew.

He never considered them to be intelligent creatures, capable of feeling everything that he is capable of, if not more. The idea of loving Toothless is...unusual, no, that's not it, it is...He doesn't know what it is.

Perhaps he is just confused about the idea of loving her. Then again...

Hiccup felt his mind begin its tall tale signs that usually signaled his start of a rant. Something that usually takes hours and always ends with him feeling weak, both mentally, and physically.

Focusing on the water, thousands of feet bellow. Hiccup directed his attention to the flashes of white, from the waves as they curled over, on themselves.

And began counting each one that he saw, slowly his mind began to drift away from the topics of Toothless, and his unknown feelings for her.

Before he knew it, the steady counting had lulled him asleep.

Toothless left his leg go limp, and glanced back to see him lay across her back. She warbled softly, happy to see that he was resting.

The cold evening air felt wonderfully nice against her back. Her body was still warm from basking in the sun all day, and now the crisp winds cooled her hide, as her muscles repelled against the cold.

The silver-night-sun was just starting to wake from its other worldly slumber, replacing the Warm-Radiating-Sun, with its rays of blue, and silver.

She retracted her wings slightly, and felt the pressure beneath them ebb as she began to decent, not at a fast pace, but a slow deliberate one.

Now that it is night, the air is cooler; there fore the air will be thinner closer to the water. She felt Hiccup flinch on her back, and turned around to see him readjust his arms to a more comfortable position.

It pleased her too see him relaxed. After witnessing how his people treated him, she made a pact to herself to save him from their cruelty. No one should have to endure so much hate from their own kin, Hiccup being no exception.

Now that he is relaxing, she feels like a weight has been lifted off her. To see him happy, to know where they are going, and what awaits them at their destination...That too makes her happy.

She's seen it in his eyes, in the way he chooses his words with precision, and elegance. His love for exploration, and his distaste for ignorance, she remembers when he began thinking about how to build her tail, the way he seemed to leave this world, and enter his own.

Where only he existed, a place where he was free to develop extraordinary feats of engineering. But then again, there is more to him than that.

Hiccup has shown her something she has rarely seen since leaving her nest. And even more uncommon since being assigned to her section of land to watch over.

That is something she hasn't though of in a while. The elders of her species, and the other Night Furies out there searching for the time when Fortido's ascendant remembers who he is, and come out of hiding.

And here he is, sleeping peacefully on her back, unaware of the horrors that rage around them, both seen, and unseen.

The creatures in the night, the serpentine monsters that remain undetected by the world, preferring the abyssal darkness of their watery realm.

There are a great number of horrors in the world, more than Hiccup can possibly imagine. Some just as deadly as the Tyrant, only kept at bay for they have no interest in spreading their misery.

And for the Sentinels. He asked her once if any of his race had survived. At the time she wanted to tell him the truth, but thought better of it.

He was not ready, despite his curiosity, the knowledge would have done nothing but hinder his learning.

The last time she saw their castle, it was just before she left to begin searching for the next heir. There where thousands of them, both old, and young. Despite losing their kings so many centuries ago, they have not lost hope.

Although, without the guidance of a king to lead them, they have been unable to do little more than farm, and trade amongst themselves, despite this inconvenience, she has never seen a happier group of people.

Hiccup will be right at home there...A home he never had, but always wanted. She slowly flapped her wings twice, settling forty feet over the silvery pool of star light.

Night flying is one of her favorite pas times. Here, out in the eternal stretch of sky, the world sleeps, as she is exposed to all the mystical secrets it has to offer.

There is an eerie peace about the night, whether it is the sound of waves, or her wings as she moves them in a steady rhythm to stay aloft. Perhaps it is both these things; then again, maybe it is neither.

How do you describe something that is beyond the reach of words? How can someone try to recreate this scene before her with verbal sounds? Impossible, there are some thing's that cannot be recreated with mere words.

Shouldn't even attempt to, no good will come of it. You will only end up tainting the beauty of it all. Rendering it as a jumbled concoction of adjectives, and nouns that has nothing to do with what you're trying to paint.

She inhaled a deep breath of the briny air. The salty moisture tingling her nose as it passed through, down to her lunges.

It was sometime around midnight, when Hiccup stirred from his rest.

"What time is it?"

He didn't have to speak as loud as before, due too their lower altitude, and the fact that there was barley any wind to muffle his voice.

"Some time around mid night. Did you sleep well?"

He mumbled something, but it was lost as he yawned, and stretched his arms above his head.

"Sorry, yes, I slept surprisingly well, giving the sleeping arrangement."

He replied with a hint of sarcasm, then she felt his cold hand press firmly on the side of her neck. She didn't know why, but there was something different in his touch now. It was still the same, but it was off...

"Well sooorrrrrry."

She replied in a similar tone, causing him to chuckle slightly at her reply.

"But with all seriousness Hiccup, the next island we come across, I'm landing."

Hiccup was about to protest, but straightened his back, and nearly fell off from the stinging pain that lanced through his lower torso, and up his spine.

"This is why we rest. To prevent things like this."

He mumbled something again, and then lifted both his feet. She felt him moving around on her back, and was about to say something, when a series of rapid cracks rang through her ears.

Followed by a coughing sighs of relief from hiccup.

"That is so much better."

He sighed, as he lowered his legs, this time resting them on her fore legs, which where tucked out of the way.

"What did you do?"

She said with a tone of exasperation.

"What, you don't remember teaching me how to loosen up before training?"

He said with a small chuckle.

She rolled her eyes, remembering several of the techniques. Although it was much more difficult for her to explain them, for she did not have the ability to replicate them.

For the next several hours, Hiccup and Toothless talked about anything that occupied their mind at the time.

First it was Hiccups curiosity with the ocean, and the dragons, and creatures that dwell bellow the surface. Toothless was happy to satisfy his curiosity, but there was one species she refused to mention. The evil Sea Serpents.

Before the Tyrant rose to power, before the humans knew about dragons, the Dragons wage a terrible war with the snakes of the sea. They believed that everything should be theirs, and the dragon's believed everything should be shared.

She's seen them now, and they have definitely shrunk over the years. Once over ten feet long, now they will be lucky to reach two feet.

Toothlesses next curiosity consisted of Hiccup's childhood, not how he was treated, but what he did for fun, and how he occupied his time.

"I spent most of the time in the forge, learning all I could from Gobber, the master smith. He taught me a whole range of things, from sharpening, to engraving."

She noted a dry under tone as he finished.

"Do you miss him?"

"He was the only one who actually tried to help me."

He needed to say no more, Toothlesses grasped the significance of his words immediately.

So it went on like this through the night, and most of the next day. Toothless was surprised by Hiccups curiosity, and his ability to string countless questions into a single sentence, then articulate the jumbled mass in the span of a few seconds, and some how manage to get the configuration of words into a coherent question.

Several times she had to remind him with an annoyed growl, which he immediately smiled and directed his attention to the ocean bellow. A few times she saw him smile, and his cheeks turned red, although it was hard to tell from the setting sun.

They spent the remaining time in silence, taking in their surroundings. Hiccup marveled at the view from this height, he's been to this altitude before back on Berk, but there was always a fear about being discovered.

Out here, they are the rulers of the sky this is their kingdom. Mounted upon their thrown of air, they are the seers, the watchful protectors, and the arbitrator of all beneath them.

It may be a lot for any one person to fully comprehend, and he knows that he is one of those people. But there is something about riding with Toothless that fills him with a sense of purpose.

He doesn't want anyone to suffer by the hands of misfortune. He wants no one to suffer through anything remotely similar to the events of his life. If there is something he can do, or they can do to help, then by Thor's hammer, he will get it done.

But for now, there is nothing more for him to do than sit patiently on Toothlesses back, and wait, along with some hope, and a prayer here and there, that they will find land before long. With little more to do, than wait out the flight, Hiccup turned his attention to the setting sun.

He was greeted with the beautiful swirling mass of color set before him. Yellows and oranges radiated away from a center orb of shimmering red, the clouds where painted dusky streaks of purple, and violet, the water beneath them was rendered a mirror for all these colors to reflect off of, only enhancing their natural beauty.

Hiccup couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man in the world. How many of this time can say they have seen what he is currently experiencing? Who claims the fact of flying on dragon back? No one, is his only answer.

He felt something knew form in the pit of his stomach, a warm throbbing that radiated warmth throughout his entire body. Confused by the new sensation, Hiccup pulled away from it, and focused on the expanse of molding color.


	2. Stranger In The Night

The cold dark expanse of his mind filled him with a sense of immediate dread. A cold wind brushed past his body, convoying an urge to run, run, and never stop moving. But where could one run to in the prison of their own mind?

A pair of piercing red eyes appeared in the darkness, threatening to tear his very being apart at the seams. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, the eyes turned from a deep red, to yellow, then green, finally blue.

Looking into them, Hiccup felt his anger rising, the memories of his father ignoring him when he cried out for help. His cousin beating him, telling him he's worthless, and everyone would be better off if he just disappeared. His anger towards his cousin only doubled, when he started to believe him.

Confusion now replaced all other emotions, as the another pair of eyes appeared, this time they where orange, and determination for something unknown to him took over.

He wanted to run, wanted to run to someone, but who, and were are they? He wanted to fight, defend those who where with him. It took every ounce of his self control to stop himself from running, no, sprinting at his full speed to the deepest reaches of his mind, where he was convinced something was waiting for him.

The orange eyes appeared satisfied with his resolve, and moved off to the side, taking up a position opposite of the blue eyes, which looking into him filled him with rage again.

A static crackle alerted him to another presence, and turning around, he saw another pair of eyes, this time instead of any color; they appeared to be made up of pure energy. Strands of blue lighting radiated away from it, filling him with warmth.

But the warmth was instantly replaced with a sense of power. A power unparallel to anything he's ever experienced before.

He wanted to find something, to show his dominance, to bring down an entire city just to show off his abilities.

As this thought came into mind, the eyes grew in intensity, like they where feeding off his lust for destructing. Urging him to give in, taunting him with the aspect of power.

Just as quickly as before, the feeling was instantly replace with one of love and compassion. A sensation so profoundly complete, hiccup couldn't help but gasp at the sudden sensation.

Looking behind him, away from the Eyes-of-Power, Hiccup was greeted by a new sight. They're still eyes, but unlike the others, this pair seemed to shimmer of glistening metal, but not like steel, or iron, or even bronze or copper.

This pair had a silvery red sheen to them. Every time they moved, a different hue of silver and red was reviled. The ever-shifting colors sent tendrils of determination through his mind.

Although, unlike before, this determination was born of the want to be happy, more specifically, his friends and family.

For the first time, the dark expanse gave way to a colorful beach, the sun saw at their backs, casting a small shadow out in front of them. The smell of the salty ocean air wafted past him.

Looking to his left, he noticed the eyes had disappeared. Turning to his right, he saw his dad, looking out over the ocean, in has hands was a fishing stick.

But the joy he felt, was suddenly replaced by anger, and frustration, as he glared down at the fishing rod in his hands, just then the pair of blue eyes appeared in front of him, ignoring them, he focused on the fishing rod in his hands.

For some reason the line keeps being tangled up as he tries to cast it. But every time when he tries to untangle it, the line only becomes even more tangled.

He felt his frustration beginning to rise again, urging him to take the stick, and snap it, or throw it into the ocean.

Just then, another desire came about him, seeing he can't even cast a fishing stick right, then perhaps there are other means on coming up with the fish he desired. Hardened by the idea, Hiccup stood, and before his father knew it, had disappeared into the woods.

The images of forest, and serenity, gave way the sight of Snotlout, lying on the ground, in a crumpled mass. Looking at his hands, he saw the skin on his knuckles had been stripped away, revealing the white bone undernoted.

Looking back down at Snotlout, he realized where this was. The day he lost control, the day before he left Berk. This was when he unleashed his pent up anger on his cousin.

Before he felt disgust, and humiliation of doing something such as this, but instead of disgust, he felt something else...satisfaction.

He took pleasure at seeing the one who tormented him for all his life defeated. Proven that he not the Viking that everyone thought him too be. That He, Hiccup had proven his strength in combat, has proven his power.

No, he isn't like that. Forcing the feeling away, Hiccup was filled with disgust yet again. His vision shifted to when he and Toothless first learned to fly. More specifically, when they where plummeting towards the stack of sea spires.

In the span of life changing moments, he felt everyone of the emotions flood his brain. Working in perfect harmony to rebel against the prospect of death, and help him achieve the impossible.

Just then, everything went black again, and this time, the four eyes appeared next to him, to on each side. Blue, and orange to his right, red-metal, and power on his left.

"Remember Verchias"

A deep voice echoed through the recesses of his mind. The voice alone spoke of untold years of wisdom and knowledge, it demanded respect merely by speaking. But the name...The name it called him sent a burst of recognition through his body, a burst that reminded him of power, but felt like compassion.

"Balance your emotions. You are about to face a completely new set of challenges. Each of them, you have never been subjected to before."

Just as the voice died down, a pair of Golden eyes burst into existence.

"Remember Verchias; remember where you come from, and who you are."

This time Hiccup shuddered at the force of the voices words, something not only about the name, but something else about the voice sounded oddly familiar.

Just as the last word reverberated through his head, hiccup felt his mind waken, and suddenly he was no longer drifting helplessly through the expanse of his mind, but laying on a hard surface.

Cracking an eye, he saw that it was still dark out, which confused him yet again. He couldn't have slept for such a short period of time. He feels far too rested, and comfortable.

Shifting to his side, Hiccup caught the gleam of light radiating under a surface. He released a sigh of content, realizing that he is under Toothlesses wing. A quick prod of his hand confirmed the fact.

Toothless retracted her wing the moment she felt Hiccups' hand brush against her flight membrane. She was already awake, and checked on him earlier, but discovered he was still asleep.

At first she was going to wake him, but the look of serenity on his face at the time swayed her from even attempting to wake him.

Hiccup has been through more than any one person should, and he needs his rest, now more than ever. But there is something different about him now, she can't place her tooth on it, but his aurora has defiantly changed, she can only hope it's for the better.

"Good afternoon, did you sleep well?"

Groaning, as his taught back muscles winced, Hiccup sat up an took a moment to survey their surroundings.

Their little clearing was bathed in the rays of the late morning sun, birds where singing their calls to each other, and the faint rustle of a breeze was present, cooling his skin, and tousling his hair slightly.

After three days of flying, four nights after leaving Berk, they had finally found this island, its a small island, too small for a colony, but large enough for them to settle down, and spend a moment to rest their sore muscles.

Hiccup was barley able to get off Toothless last night, and now his back isn't showing any signs of cooperating.

Then, there was that eerie dream, it reminded him of an Ancestral memory, but it resembled nothing of the sort. The memories felt real enough, most likely because they where his memories.

After a moment of intense thinking, Hiccup deemed it a result of their situation. More the situation he's in, and anxiety of what possibly lays ahead of them.

"I was quite comfortable, thank you."

Toothless purred happily at his thanks, and uncurled herself so he would be able to stretch-out his legs.

Wincing, Hiccup leaned the majority of his weight no her side, and wrapped his arm around her neck to support himself as he forced his legs to stretch out. Several "pop", and many winces later, Hiccup had his legs stretched out, and his back resting comfortably against Toothlesses side.

"How do you feel?"

Hiccup turned his attention to Toothless, who was looking at him with what he guessed to be concern.

"Like a piece of iron."

She snorted once, releasing a plume of smoke, and then laid her head down, on top of her fore paws, regarding him with one of her Emerald eyes.

Tearing his attention away from her, he regarded their surroundings with a sense of Nostalgia. For as long as he can remember, his only safe heavens have been Gobber's forge, and the woods.

Out here, he was free to do as he wished, without fear of ridicule. He was free to do as the wished, for hours he would do nothing but draw, or find different branches and sticks to build things.

Most the time it would be a simple shelter, that he would spend the night in, other times it would be something far more complex, such as a recreation of someone in the village. 

Usually Astrid, his father, or Snotlout, the ones of Snotlout he usually set on fire. And the ones of his father...he would leave them somewhere, only to forget about it. But Astrid, the ones he made of her always took the longest.

He would put the upmost detail in it, when regarding her face, and body sculpture. The shortest time he spent on one, took three days, and the only reason why it took such little time, was because some one found it. Fortunately, no one guessed, or even considered it was him who made the recreation.

Astrid was curious at first, then angered that someone was able to create her out of sticks and branches. She never look at him, never considered that it was he who had made such a masterpiece.

And yet, looking back on the memory, he's happy she didn't. Who knows what would have happened if they discovered it was he who made the statue. But knowing the village of Berk, it probably would have lead to him curling up in a ball in one of his many woodland shelters.

But that's not why he's happy. He's happy because for all his life, he's remained inconspicuous of everyone he once called family. Once he considered that a curse, but now looking back, he sees its more of a gift.

If he was to gain notice, and alert everyone to who he really is, or what he's like. If he tried to learn the Viking way, or asked some one, then when he found toothless, the encounter might have gone far different that it did...

Shaking his mind away from such prospects, Hiccup focused on the now, their their current situation.

"How long before we reach the outpost?"

Toothless picked her head up, and fixed bother her piercing green eyes on him. Those eyes are one thing in this world he will never forget.

"We should be there by day's end. But we've pushed ourselves hard, it would be a good idea to rest before we venture out again."

Hiccup nodded once, staring at some random point on the edge of their clearing. Debating what the best course of action would be.

Toothless raises a valid point, they have been travelling for close to five days, and he can barley move without his back flaring up in angry protest. And despite her urging him, that she is fine, Hiccup can feel she is similarly exhausted.

"Alright, we can rest for the rest of the day, and some of tomorrow, but after that, we should be going."

"A good plan."

She agreed, before playing her head back down, and closing here yes. Hiccup was slightly tired still, but his stomach urged him to fill it with something.

Reaching around, to where he stored his pack the night prior, Hiccup brought out what remained of the cheese wedge.

After a meager meal of cheese, and what remained of his water skin, Hiccup forced himself to stand, doing his best not to wake toothless, who had settled back into a light slumber.

Once up, he walked several paces away, and began reciting several of the exorcizes Toothless taught him.

What was usually graceful, and fluent, was rough, and choppy. He was barley able to move, let alone perform the correct motions needed. But the stretching did help, if only a little.

With his back slightly better, Hiccup made his way back over to Toothless, and laid down against her side. Sensing his presence, even as she slept, Toothless shifted so he would be in a comfortable position, then covered him with her wing.

Anything after that was lost to him, as he was pulled into his waking dreams...Or lack there of.

**Let me start off by saying this. I know at first glance this looks like a filler chapter, and in some cases your right. But there are several key details in this chapter that will come to light later on. **

**One thing i cant stand is when an event just happens, no warning, no hints at it, this chapter contains several subtle hints for later chapters...Thanks for reading, and I look forward to seeing your reviews. **


	3. Demons' of The Past

**Little Update, My pc is not yet fixed, I have an appointment later on today. So I wrote all this on my tablet, luckily my phone has a mobile hotspot function. But I wanted to give you a view of the village, and their reaction after finding Hiccup had left. **

**Well, less of the Village, and more of Stoic, this chapter focuses around his feelings of finding out why Hiccup had abandoned them. **

**I will continue with the main story line later on tonight when my pc is fixed, until then, enjoy, and please review. **

He always believed himself to be a strong leader. A leader without fear, someone who could, and would lead his people into better times. However, he never expected a leader as strong and noble as him could be plagued by demons.

These demons are not the construct of some Hellish fiend, or spawned from Loki. No, these Demons are all his own doing. It's ironic to think that all he wanted to do was protect his son, tell him how much he loves him.

But such emotions are not those of a strong leader. They are for the weak, those who refuse to see life as it should be, and focus of the foolhardy.

Four days ago he arrived back from their dragon scouting mission. Despite his calm composure, Stoic was a nervous wreck. He made the decision of putting Hiccup in Dragon training, hoping it would teach him how to be a Viking.

Despite the ever growing feeling of doom in his gut, Stoic had remained focused on the task at hand, not able to give much thought to whether or not Hiccup would destroy the village in his absence.

But when he returned with what remained of their scouting party, he could never imagine the news he would receive in terms of Hiccup.

Apparently in his absence Hiccup had taken it upon himself to train day and night. Becoming the son he had always wanted. His feats in the ring could be compared to the greatest of Vikings.

Never had he felt more pride towards his son. His elation was short lived however when he became aware of what transpired mere hours before his arrival.

Now, a little sibling rivalry has never caused any harm. Amongst the villagers of Berk it is looked upon. One tends to better themselves when they have someone to compete with.

This however does not include Hiccup. After years of what he thought of to be a healthy competition between him and Snotlout, Hiccup broke. He is still unclear on all the details, but what he's heard so far is anything but alright.

After a thrilling victory in the ring, between Hiccup and a Deadly Nader, Snotlout had said several things that Hiccup took to heart. None of which were relatively appropriate for decent company.

Storming off, Hiccup left the ring, in favor of the forge, where he had begun crafting a blade of the likes has never been seen before. However, unsatisfied with what he had said before, Snotlout had gone after his son.

This proved to be a fatal mistake on his part. After much taunting, and uncharacteristic insults on Snotlout's part, Hiccup snapped.

He is unsure of what transpired between the two, but If Snotlout's current condition is anything to judge by…

Stoic shuddered at the sight behind his mind's eye.

Snotlout, lying unconscious in the healer's hut, his left arm had been cast, due to several fractures, and an unclean break. His shoulders and torso shroud in bandages. Blood stains where visible through the clean linen in several places. But what was truly nauseating, where the miles of stiches that held the skin of his face together.

His bottom lip had been ripped nearly off, his nose resembled a fully ripened apple, except of a bright red, it was a deep blue, the combination between a blue berry, and an unripened black berry. Not to mention the concoction of bruises ranging from putrefied-green, to vomit-yellow, covering nearly every inch of his body.

It was only after seeing Snotlout, was when he heard that Hiccup had left, and had not yet returned. Usually this was not something he would get concerned over. His son would often times leave the village for hours on end.

But an entire day passed, and he had not yet returned. Panic welled in his stomach as he organized a search party.

He didn't know what he would do if he lost his son too. After Val's death, he was never the same. After she passed away, he grew distant from Hiccup, choosing to focus on his duties as chef, rather than that of a father.

A part deep in his mind had hoped Hiccup would learn from his mistakes, and become the man he was destined to be. But that was all in vein.

After searching for the entire day, they were forced to call it off, when the sun fell on the island.

The mood among the villagers where dark and gloomy, despite the time of night. Hiccup was gone; they all had a suspicion of what happened to the boy, especially after what transpired between him and Snotlout.

Stoic on the other hand refused to accept the fact Hiccup was dead. He couldn't be, not after everything they went through together. The one thought that lent him strength In this time of darkness was the possibility that Hiccup was alive.

His son was a lot of things, rash, accident-prone, a nuisance, and always getting himself into trouble. But even through all his mistakes, failed inventions, and unsuccessful attempts at what he could only guess was glory; he was proud of his son.

He never told him this, but Stoic noticed his determination, his courage to face his mistake, and continue past it. Perhaps he should have told him this before he left in search of that cursed nest.

Maybe it would have changed things, changed the outcome of some things. But nothing can be done now, Hiccup was gone, whether ran away, or… … … he was gone, and he would have to wait, hopefully he would return.

And yet, the monsters in his chest refused to accept this thought of hope, the images of his room, how he had clearly turned it into his personal refuge, how he could not have entered, and the iron he had used to reinforce the door, but how it opened effortlessly on the hinges.

He should have listened to his ideas more. He should have done several things differently, if he had paid attention to his son, then he would have seen the clear sings that he was miserable.

One of hiccups' journals slid off the pile he had erected near his chair, startling the fearless Viking. Turning his attention away from the fallen book, he returned his attention to the one in his lap, and the date scribbled into the top left hand corner.

It was an entry from two years ago, describing an encounter between him and his cousin with vivid clarity, to say the description was a like a plague to the senses would be an apt analogy to what he was feeling.

As he scanned through the hordes of journals, some he remembered giving to him, saying that a strong warrior records their battles, and tells tales of their fantasies, but nothing like that would be found in these leather bound tomes.

In fact the only things that really occur through the novels, are his deepest and darkest emotions. At first he was appalled, refusing to believe that his son thought this way about the village, that they all, even him, his own father, treated him like that.

And then there was Astrid, she came up a lot, but it was never the way he had expected. The way he described the blond Viking was like how he treated Val's breast Helmet, with tender affection gone by all.

"_Today, after a particularly nasty encounter with none other than Snotlout, I saw her again. I know I know, how many times will I record this? But what else can I do? She refuses to talk with me, and any attempts on my part end in her could shoulder. But how I long to be with her, Astrid. Today she was practicing with her axe again, her fluent motions with the deadly weapon sent shivers down my spine. Then again, perhaps I was just afraid of being spotted."_

The entry was recorded with steadier hand strokes, being a chief; he is privy to the little things, like peoples hand writing and what it tells of one's character. Hiccup was taking his time recording this, taking pause after every word, to consider it, and ponder how to continue.

Despite the angst filled pages, stained from long dried tears. There were a few moments where he actually seemed to be happy, unfortunately for Stoic, the only times Hiccup appeared to be happy, truly happy was when he was in the forge with Gobber, who he considered more of a father, than his own father.

The demons in his chest found this piece of information particularly inviting. Causing them to increase their ravenous assault on his chest again.

"_What type of father puts their own flesh and blood through this? What type of father would allow his son to suffer day and night, without a second regard to his own happiness. Now I know you're a Viking, and Vikings are supposed to be tough and strong, but this is barbaric."_

A little voice whispered inside his head, and he knew it to be right. Stoic, the mighty chief of this tribe of Dragon-Fighting-Vikings, have allowed them to become the monsters they hunt by allowing this to happen to his son.

The only way to make this right, is to find Hiccup, and tell him how desperately sorry he is, and hope, by some small merger amount of hope that Hiccup will forgive him. But he doubts he will, none of them deserve his forgiveness, not now, not until the end of time.

But they can't let him go, not until they make things wright with him, Stoic knows that by running away, Hiccup was renounced any claims at being one of their tribe, and he also knows that, which only adds to the guilt.

However, right now they have more important matters to tend to right now. Harsh-winter is only a few months away, and the last dragon raid left their food stores depleted, so they have to restock that before anything can be done about Hiccup.


End file.
